Teenage French girls charged with plotting new Paris attack on Facebook

Jesse Hughes of the Eagles of Death Metal visits the Bataclan in December
Reuters/Charles Platiau

Two teenage girls have been charged with plotting a terror attack after allegedly discussing an assault on a Paris concert hall, similar to last year's Bataclan massacre, on Facebook. Two others, who took part in the discussion, were questioned but freed without charge.

Two of the girls were questioned appeared before an anti-terror judge on Friday on charges of criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist undertaking.

One, aged 15, has been placed in detention and the other under judicial supervision.

They had said that they wanted to launch attacks "similar to those of 13 November" in Paris, according to police.

A search of their homes failed to produce any weapons or explosives and police said that they had taken no concrete steps to put their plan into operation.

The two girls who were released, who are sisters, had never met the two who have been charged and all four lived in different towns.

The frontman for the American Eagles of Death Metal band, which was playing at the time of the Bataclan attack, on Friday apologised for alleging that some of the club's security guards might have been involved.

"I humbly beg forgiveness from the people of France, the staff and security of the Bataclan, my fans, family, friends and anyone else hurt or offended by the absurd accusations I made," said singer and guitarist Jesse Hughes in a statement. "My suggestions that anyone affiliated with the Bataclan played a role in the events of November 13 are unfounded and baseless - and I take full responsibility for them."

Hughes earlier made the charge on Fox Business TV, citing as evidence the lack of eye contact of a guard in charge of the backstage area and what he said was the absence of around six security personnel on the night of the attack.

Ninety people were killed when gunmen opened fire and hurled grenades into the crowd as the Californian garage rockers were on stage.

To read our coverage of the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo killings click here